From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3-Jackson desperately wants a pet-one that's big, wild, and exciting. When his father buys him a hamster, the child grudgingly promises to take care of the creature and tries to teach him to fetch, climb trees, and roar. But soon Jackson forgets and Monster becomes bored, lonely, and hungry. One night, he chews through the latch on his cage, jumps into his bag of food, finishes all of it, and turns into a giant hamster, which excites Jackson. The tables are turned, and Monster promises Jackson's mother that he'll care for the boy, etc. Jackson hears his mother call, "Breakfast!" and realizes that it was all a dream. He runs to his pet, feeds him, and renames him Fluffy. The cartoon illustrations employ bright, often primary, colors. Middleton adds touches of collage, so that when Jackson attempts to teach Monster to growl, he holds up a photo of a tiger. The theme of not caring for a pet, and then the reversal with Monster forgetting to feed Jackson, is disturbing, and the dream ending feels forced. Readers looking for books about outlandish pets may be better served by Trinka Hakes Noble's The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash (Penguin, 1980).-Shawn Brommer, South Central Library System, Madison, WI
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Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
